Image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, printing system, method of controlling the same, and storage medium for processing of print data

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus, an information processing apparatus, a printing system, a method of controlling the same, and a storage medium. An image forming apparatus authenticates a user, transmits a request for a list of print jobs, and receives a list of print jobs transmitted in response to the request. The image forming apparatus displays on a display unit the list of print jobs received in the receiving, and in the displaying, a list of the print jobs, for which a user name of the user authenticated in the authenticating and a job owner name of the print job match, and a list of print jobs for which a job owner name is unknown is displayed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/817,722 filed Aug. 4, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No.9,116,646 filed Apr. 22, 2014, which claims the benefit of and priorityto Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-098000, filed May 7, 2013, andJapanese Patent Application No. 2013-248338, filed Nov. 29, 2013, theentire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by referenceherein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, aninformation processing apparatus, a printing system, a method ofcontrolling the same, and a storage medium.

Description of the Related Art

In recent years, demand has been growing for authenticated printing inwhich a user transmits a print job to a print server, and printing isperformed whenever the user likes on a desired printer, and also withguaranteed security (for example, Japanese Patent No. 4033857). ByJapanese Patent No. 4033857, a user generates a print job and transmitsit to a print server by a printer driver, and also transmitsbibliographic information to a bibliography server. Then, upon printingby the printer, the printer obtains, and displays, a list of print jobsfrom the bibliography server, and the user makes an instruction forprinting by selecting his or her own print job from the list. With this,the print instruction is dispatched from the bibliography server to theprint server, and the print job is transmitted from the print server tothe printer and printed by the printer.

However, in the printing system of Japanese Patent No. 4033857, thetransmission of the print job by a printer driver is assumed. Also, inorder to obtain, from the server, a print job list corresponding to auser, who succeeded in authentication, it is necessary that informationfor identifying the owner of a print job be included in the print jobsregistered in the server. This was normally not a problem since theowner name of the print job was included in print jobs generated by aprinter driver.

However, with print jobs that are generated without using a printerdriver (a printing system which independently generates print data, or adirect printing system which directly interprets an application file andprints), there are cases in which the owner name of the print job is notincluded. In such a case, because the print job does not match anauthenticated user name, it is not included in the list of print jobsacquired from the server. For this reason, a problem existed in thatthis kind of print job was left on the print server, and executed as aprint job, or that its deletion could not be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentionedproblems with the conventional techniques.

A feature of the present invention is to provide a technique in whichadditional information for specifying a print job is added to a requestfor a list of print jobs.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided animage forming apparatus comprising an authentication unit configured toauthenticate a user, a requesting unit configured to transmit a requestfor a list of print jobs, a receiving unit configured to receive a listof print jobs transmitted in response to the request by the requestingunit, and a display unit configured to display the list of print jobsreceived by the receiving unit. The display unit displays a list of theprint jobs, for which a user name of the user that the authenticationunit authenticated and a job owner name of the print job match, and alist of print jobs for which a job owner name is unknown.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda printing system including a printing apparatus, and an informationprocessing apparatus that stores a list of print jobs. The printingapparatus comprises an authentication unit configured to authenticate auser, a requesting unit configured to transmit, to the informationprocessing apparatus, a request for a list of print jobs, a receivingunit configured to receive, from the information processing apparatus, alist of print jobs transmitted in response to the request by therequesting unit, and a display unit configured to display the list ofprint jobs received by the receiving unit. The information processingapparatus comprises a storage unit configured to store a list of printjobs, an extraction unit configured to extract a print job correspondingto a print job specified by additional information included in therequest from the print jobs stored by the storage unit, and atransmission unit configured to transmit to the printing apparatus alist of print jobs extracted by the extraction unit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan information processing apparatus comprising a management unitconfigured to register, and manage as a list of print jobs,bibliographic information including at least a job owner name of a printjob of one or more print jobs, a receiving unit configured to receive arequest for a list of print jobs including additional information forspecifying an authenticated user name and a print job, an extractionunit configured to extract a list of print jobs specifying theadditional information from the list of print jobs that the managementunit manages, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the list ofprint jobs that the extraction unit extracted to a device which is adispatch origin of the request. The additional information includesinformation specifying a list of print jobs matching the authenticateduser name, a list of print jobs for which the authenticated user nameand a job owner name do not match, and a list of print jobs for which ajob owner name is unknown.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to theattached drawings).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is a view for showing schematically a configuration of a printingsystem including an image forming apparatus according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for showing a functional configuration of acopying machine according to embodiments.

FIG. 3A is a view for illustrating an example of a list of print jobsthat a copying machine manages according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 3B is a view for illustrating an example of a print job list sentin reply when the copying machine receives a request for the print joblist.

FIG. 4A is a view for illustrating an example a print job list that thecopying machine sends in reply in a case where it receives a request forthe print job list in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4B is a view for illustrating an example a list of users capable ofusing the copying machine according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for describing processing by the copying machineoperating as the bibliography server in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view for illustrating an example of a list of print jobstransmitted in step S502 of FIG. 5 in response to a request for a listof print jobs in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7A is a flowchart for describing processing of a copying machineaccording to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7B is a flowchart for describing processing of a copying machineaccording to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a view for illustrating an example of a screen for displayinga list of print jobs that the copying machine received in the secondembodiment.

FIG. 9A is a view for illustrating an example of print job historyaccording to the third embodiment.

FIG. 9B is a view for illustrating an example of a print job historyscreen according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for describing print processing by the copyingmachine according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a view for illustrating an example of a print setting screenaccording to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for describing processing in a case where thecopying machine received print data according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a view for illustrating an example of a setting screenaccording to a fifth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter indetail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to beunderstood that the following embodiments are not intended to limit thescope of the claims of the present invention, and that not all of thecombinations of the aspects that are described according to thefollowing embodiments are necessarily required with respect to the meansto solve the problems according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a view for showing schematically a configuration of a printingsystem including an image forming apparatus according to embodiments ofthe present invention. In this embodiment, explanation will be given ofa copying machine having a data transmission function as an example ofan image forming apparatus, but the present invention is not limited tothis kind of copying machine, and it is possible to adapt to a printingapparatus such as a printer.

A copying machine 1001, a copying machine 1002 having equivalentfunctions to the copying machine 1001, and a client computer(hereinafter referred to a PC) 1005, are placed on a LAN 1006 such asEthernet (registered trademark). The copying machine 1001 has a copyfunction and a facsimile function, and also has a data transmissionfunction for transmitting, to devices on the LAN 1006, image data of ascanned original, having scanned the original. Also, it has a PDL printfunction for printing having executed a print job defined in PDL whichit received from the PC 1005, which is connected to the LAN 1006. Also,the copying machine 1001 has a box function for saving, into a box area,image data obtained by scanning of an original by the copying machine1001, and image data obtained by processing a print job received fromthe PC 1005, which is connected to the LAN 1006. The image data saved tothis box area can be printed. Also, the copying machine 1001 receivesvia the LAN 1006 image data obtained by the copying machine 1002scanning an original, and saves the received image data to the copyingmachine 1001, and it also is able to print the received image data. ThePC 1005 receives the image data from the copying machine 1001 via theLAN 1006, and may process or edit the received image data.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for showing a functional configuration of thecopying machine 1001 according to embodiments. Note, the copying machine1002 has a similar configuration to the copying machine 1001 other thanthe fact that it does not function as a bibliography server, and soexplanation is omitted.

A controller unit 2000 connects a scanner 2070, which is an image inputdevice, and a printer 2095, which is an image output device. Also, thecontroller unit 2000 controls in order to realize a copy function ofprinting, with the printer 2095, image data obtained by scanning anoriginal with the scanner 2070. Also, the controller unit 2000 transmitsto the PC 1005, or the like, via the LAN 1006, image data obtained bythe scanner 2070, and also prints, with the printer 2095, havingreceived a print job from the PC 1005.

The controller unit 2000 has a CPU 2001, and the CPU 2001 starts up anoperating system (OS) stored in an HDD 2004 with a boot program storedin a ROM 2003. Also, by executing application programs stored in the HDD2004 on the OS, various processing is executed. A RAM 2002 is used as awork area of the CPU 2001. The RAM 2002, provides an image memory regionfor temporarily storing programs, image data, and the like, in additionto being a work area. The HDD (hard disk drive) 2004 is used for storingapplication programs and image data for the box function, and the like.

To the CPU 2001, via a system bus 2007, in addition to the ROM 2003 andthe RAM 2002, an operation unit I/F (operation unit interface) 2006, anetwork I/F (network interface) 2010, and a modem 2050 are connected.Furthermore, an image bus I/F (image bus interface) 2005, which controlsan interface with an image bus 2008, is connected. An operation unit I/F2006 is an interface between a touch panel and an operation unit 2012having hard keys, which outputs image data displayed on a display unit(not shown) of the operation unit 2012, to the operation unit 2012.Also, the operation unit I/F 2006 transmits, to the CPU 2001,information input by operation of the user on the operation unit 2012. Anetwork I/F 2010 is connected to the LAN 1006, and performs input andoutput of information between devices on the LAN 1006 via the LAN 1006.The modem 2050 is connected to a public line 1008 (WAN), and performsinput and output of information via the public line 1008.

An image bus I/F 2005 connects the image bus 2008 which transfers imagedata at high speed and the system bus 2007, and is a bus bridge forconverting data configuration.

The image bus 2008 has a PCI bus or an IEEE 1394. On the image bus 2008,a raster image processor (hereinafter referred to as an RIP) 2060, adevice I/F 2020, a scanner image processing unit 2080, a printer imageprocessing unit 2090 and an image rotation unit 2030 and an imagecompression unit 2040 are arranged. The RIP 2060 is a processor forexpanding intermediate language data into a bitmap image. To the deviceI/F 2020 are connected the scanner 2070 and the printer 2095, and thedevice I/F 2020 performs an image data conversion between synchronousand asynchronous systems.

The scanner image processing unit 2080 performs correction, processingand editing on image data input from the scanner 2070. The printer imageprocessing unit 2090 performs image correction, half-tone processing,and the like on the image data to be printed. The image rotation unit2030 performs rotation of image data. The image compression unit 2040compresses multi-valued image data into JPEG data, and binary image datainto JBIG data, MMR data, MH data, or the like, and also converselyperforms expansion processing.

First Embodiment

For the first embodiment, explanation will be given with thepresupposition that a plurality of PDL print jobs (hereinafter referredto as print jobs) are input, from the PC 1005 or another client computer(not shown) connected to the LAN 1006, and stored in the copying machine1001 or the copying machine 1002. Note, in the first embodiment,explanation will be given with the copying machine 1001 having aconfiguration having a bibliography server function, but because abibliography server (information processing apparatus) may be connectedto the LAN 1006 as a separate device, and this does not limit thefunction or the configuration of the present invention.

In the first embodiment, the copying machine 1001 has a function as abibliography server, and stores and manages the input plurality of printjobs of the copying machine 1001. Next, explanation will be given forcases in which a list of print jobs of a user who authenticated on adevice which requests a list of print jobs (the copying machine 1002),or print jobs other than those of the user who authenticated, and printjobs of a user who cannot use the device, which is the request source,is acquired. Note, configuration may be taken such that, other thanthis, the request source device can obtain only a list of the print jobsfor users other than those who authenticated, for example.Alternatively, configuration may be taken such that only a list of printjobs of users that cannot use the request source device or print jobs ofusers capable of using the request source device can be obtained.

FIG. 3A is a view for illustrating an example a list of print jobs thatthe copying machine 1001 manages according to a first embodiment.

This list of print jobs is shown as a collection of a plurality of itemsof bibliographic information. The bibliographic information is generatedwhen, for example, a print job is input into the copying machine 1001from the PC 1005, and the copying machine 1001 processes the print job.The bibliographic information is generated based on the input print joband “device information” that the copying machine 1001 retains. Thebibliographic information is managed as a list of print jobs stored inthe RAM 2002. In this way, the copying machine 1001 has a function as abibliography server.

In FIG. 3A, a job name 300 is a name of a print job which uniquelyidentifies the print job. The job name is information which is includedin the received print job. Note, in cases where the job name is notincluded in the print job, the copying machine 1001 may generate andattach one. A job owner name 302 is information for identifying the userwho generated the print job. The job owner name is information includedin the print job, and in cases where it is not included in the printjob, the job owner name may not exist. A date/time 304 expresses thedate and the time when the print job is input. In FIG. 3A, six pieces ofbibliographic information are stored with the job names“PrintJob1”-“PrintJob6”.

For example, bibliographic information 306 represents the job name“PrintJob1”, the job owner name “USER1”, and the date time when theprint job was input “2012/02/03, 14:20:30”. Here, the job owner name 302of bibliographic information 310 is empty, and this represents the factthat the owner name of the job is not included in the print job. Here,the examples of the job name 300, the job owner name 302, and thedate/time 304 are given as the bibliographic information, but thebibliographic information is not limited to this. For example, printsettings such as a color/monochrome setting of the print job, andsettings for a number of pages, or a number of copies of the print jobmay be included as bibliographic information. In the first embodiment,explanation will be given for operation of the copying machine 1001 incases where the copying machine 1002 makes a request for a list of printjobs to the copying machine 1001, which has a bibliography serverfunction.

FIG. 3B is a view for illustrating an example in which, for example, anauthenticated user name is “USER2”, and a print job list that thecopying machine 1001 sends in reply when it receives a request for theprint job list for the list of print jobs shown in FIG. 3A.

In FIG. 3A, out of the bibliographic information 306-bibliographicinformation 316, the bibliographic information 308 and the bibliographicinformation 314 are the ones for which the job owner name is “USER2”.Accordingly, for a print job list request, a list of print jobsincluding the bibliographic information 308 and 314 will be transmittedfrom the copying machine 1001 to the request source which is the copyingmachine 1002.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for describing processing by the copying machine1001 operating as the bibliography server in the first embodiment. Theprocessing illustrated by the flowchart is realized by the CPU 2001executing a program loaded into the RAM 2002 from the HDD 2004.

Firstly, in step S500, the CPU 2001, when it receives a request for alist of print jobs from the copying machine 1002 via the LAN 1006,proceeds to the processing of step S501. Note, the communicationprotocol in this case may be an independently developed one, or may be ageneral one, and it is not stipulated specifically here. In step S501,the CPU 2001 determines whether or not the request includes firstadditional information specifying a print job list including the printjobs whose job owner name of the print job does not match anauthenticated user name or whose user cannot use the copying machine1002. In step S501, in a case where it is determined that the firstadditional information is included, the processing proceeds to stepS502, and when that is not the case, the processing proceeds to stepS503. In step S502, the CPU 2001 extracts the print jobs whose job ownername of the print job does not match an authenticated user name or whoseuser cannot use the copying machine 1002, transmits the list of printjobs to the copying machine 1002 via the LAN 1006 and completes theprocessing.

On the other hand, in step S503, the CPU 2001 transmits a list of printjobs whose job owner name of the print job matches an authenticated username to the copying machine 1002 via the LAN 1006 and completes theprocessing. Note, the list of print jobs transmitted in step S503 is alist as shown in the previously described FIG. 3B, for example.

FIG. 4B is a view for illustrating an example a list of users capable ofusing the copying machine 1002 according to the first embodiment.

The list of users capable of using the copying machine 1002 is storedbeforehand in the HDD 2004 of the copying machine 1001, or the like, orreceived from the copying machine 1002 or a server (not shown) at aparticular timing and stored in the RAM 2002, or the like. Here, anadministrator and a plurality of users (USER1-USER5) are registered.

FIG. 6 is a view for illustrating an example of a list of print jobstransmitted in step S502 of FIG. 5 in response to a request for a listof print jobs from the copying machine 1002 when the copying machine1001 has the list of print jobs shown in FIG. 3A.

Here, the user name authenticated on the copying machine 1002 is“USER2”. Here, explanation will be given for cases in which a request isreceived including first additional information specifying a list ofprint jobs whose job owner name of the print job does not match anauthenticated user name or whose user cannot use the copying machine1002.

In FIG. 3A, the bibliographic information 306 has a job owner name of“USER1”, which is different to “USER2”, the user name authenticated onthe copying machine 1002. However, because the user “USER1”, as shown inFIG. 4B, is a user capable of using the copying machine 1002, it is notincluded in the list of print jobs requested this time.

Also, because the bibliographic information 308 and 314 of FIG. 3A havea job owner name of “USER2” which matches the authenticated user name“USER2”, they are not included in the list of print jobs requested thistime.

Also, for the bibliographic information 310 of FIG. 3A, no job ownername exists, and so this is different to the authenticated user name“USER2”, and the user is not capable of using the copying machine 1002.Accordingly, this is included in the list of print jobs requested thistime.

Also, bibliographic information 312 of FIG. 3A has a job owner name of“USER4” which is different to the user name “USER2” authenticated on thecopying machine 1002. However, because the user is capable of using thecopying machine 1002 as illustrated in FIG. 4B, this is not included inthe list of print jobs requested this time.

Also, bibliographic information 316 has a job owner name of “USER6”,which is different to the authenticated user name “USER2”, and becausethe user is not capable of using the copying machine 1002 in FIG. 4B,this is included in the list of print jobs requested.

FIG. 4A is a view for illustrating an example a print job list that thecopying machine 1001 sends in reply in a case where it receives arequest for a print job list from the copying machine 1002 when the username authenticated on the copying machine 1002 is “USER2” for the listof print jobs shown in FIG. 3A.

In the first embodiment, the request includes second additionalinformation specifying a list of print jobs whose job owner name of theprint job matches an authenticated user name, and print jobs whose jobowner name of the print job does not match and whose user cannot use thecopying machine 1002.

In such a case, out of the bibliographic information 306-316 of FIG. 3A,the bibliographic information 308 and the bibliographic information 314are the bibliographic information having “USER2” for a job owner name.Accordingly, “Printjob2” and “Printjob5”, which correspond to thebibliographic information 308 and the bibliographic information 314, areincluded in the list of print jobs. Also, the bibliographic information310 and the bibliographic information 316 have different job owner namesto “USER2” and are not of users capable of using the copying machine1002. Accordingly, “Printjob3” and “Printjob6” which correspond to thebibliographic information 310 and the bibliographic information 316 areincluded in the list of print jobs.

As explained above, by virtue of the first embodiment, it is possible toobtain, from out of the plurality of print jobs registered, only printjobs whose owner is an authenticated user, or only print jobs of ownersother than the authenticated user. Also, it is possible to configure sothat when this kind of list of jobs is requested, print jobs of userscapable of using the request source device or print jobs of users whocannot use the request source device are included.

Second Embodiment

Next, explanation will be given for a second embodiment of the presentinvention. In the second embodiment, explanation will be given foroperation of the copying machine 1002 when a request for a list of printjobs is made from the copying machine 1002 to the copying machine 1001,which has a bibliography server function. Note, because theconfigurations of the copying machines 1001 and 1002 and theconfiguration of the printing system according to the second embodimentare the same as in the previously described first embodiment, theirexplanation will be omitted.

FIG. 7A is a flowchart for describing processing of the copying machine1002 according to the second embodiment. The processing illustrated bythe flowchart is realized by the CPU 2001 of the copying machine 1002executing a program loaded into the RAM 2002 from the HDD 2004 of thecopying machine 1002.

Firstly, in step S700, the CPU 2001 performs authentication of the user,and the processing proceeds to step S701. In step S700, regarding theuser authentication, as long as the user name can be acquired, anymethod can be used. For example, a method may be used in which the CPU2001 displays a user authentication screen (not shown) on a display unitof the operation unit 2012 via the operation unit I/F 2006, inputinformation of a user name and a password is obtained via the operationunit I/F 2006, and the user is authenticated. Also, a method may be usedin which user information is obtained from a card reader (not shown), orthe like, that the copying machine 1002 is equipped with.

In step S701, the CPU 2001 transmits to the copying machine 1001 arequest including first additional information requesting a list ofprint jobs not matching the user name obtained in step S700, or theauthenticated user name and the job owner name and whose user cannot usethe copying machine 1002. Then, in step S702, the CPU 2001 receives therequested list of print jobs from the copying machine 1001 via the LAN1006, and the processing completes.

FIG. 8 is a view for illustrating an example of a screen for displayinga list of print jobs that the copying machine 1002 received in thesecond embodiment. The screen shows an example that the CPU 2001generates based on the list of print jobs that it obtains in step S702of FIG. 7A, and displays on the display unit of the operation unit 2012via the operation unit I/F 2006. Reference numeral 801 denotes a fieldfor displaying the user name of the user authenticated on the copyingmachine 1002. In the second embodiment the authenticated the user nameis “USER2”. Here in a print job display field 802, as illustrated inFIG. 6, a corresponding print job list is displayed.

Reference numeral 803 denotes a character string prompting selection ofthe owner of the print jobs to display. Reference numerals 804-806 eachdisplays a menu item for selecting the owner of the print jobs todisplay, and each is selectable with a radio button. Here, the menu itemis controlled so that only one can be selected. So long as this controlis performed, the configuration of the menu is not limited to radiobuttons, and may be realized by a pull-down list, or the like.

An item “only me” 804 is selected in cases where the user wishes todisplay only a list of print jobs matching the user name 801. In aninitial state, the item “only me” 804 is selected. An item “onlyunknown” 805 is selected in cases where the user wishes to display onlya list of print jobs that do not match the user name 801. An item“me+unknown” 806 is selected in cases where the user wishes to display alist of print jobs for both print jobs matching the user name 801, andprint jobs that do not match the user name 801. In the print job listscreen of FIG. 8, the state is such that the item “only unknown” 805 isselected. Accordingly, a list of print jobs as shown in FIG. 6 isacquired from the copying machine 1001.

Reference numeral 807 represents a currently displayed number of pagesand the total number of pages. In FIG. 8, the first page out of a totalof 1 page is displayed. Reference numeral 808 denotes a button fordisplaying the preceding page, and reference numeral 809 denotes abutton for displaying the next page. A select-all button 810 is used toselect all of the bibliographic information displayed in the list ofprint jobs. A selection cancel button 811 is used for cancelling aselection of selected bibliographic information. A delete button 812 isused for deleting selected bibliographic information. The print jobinformation deleted in this way may be sent from the copying machine1002 to the copying machine 1001 and used for deleting a correspondingprint job on the copying machine 1001. A print initiation button 813 isused when printing of selected bibliographic information is initiated.The job list update button 814, when pressed, transmits to the copyingmachine 1001 a request for a list of print jobs including additionalinformation generated based on information of the selected one out ofthe items “only me” 804, “only unknown” 805, and “me+unknown” 806.

With this, the copying machine 1002 according to the second embodimentreceives a print job list matching that request from the copying machine1001, and updates the print job list screen based on the received printjob list.

As explained above, by the second embodiment, a request can bedispatched by setting conditions of the print jobs included in print joblist in the device that requests the print job list.

Because of this, it is possible to obtain a list of only print jobs ofthe user that authenticated on the device, or only print jobs where theuser name is unknown, or print jobs of the user that authenticated onthe device and print jobs where the user name is unknown, for example.Furthermore, it is possible to obtain only the print jobs of userscapable of using the dispatch origin device of the request, or only theprint jobs of users other than those capable of using the dispatchorigin device.

Third Embodiment

Next, explanation will be given for a third embodiment. In the thirdembodiment, explanation will be given for processing for requesting alist of print jobs from the copying machine 1002 to the copying machine1001, which has a bibliography server function and printing. Note,because the configurations of the copying machines 1001 and 1002 and theconfiguration of the printing system according to the third embodimentare the same as in the previously described first embodiment, theirexplanation will be omitted.

FIG. 7B is a flowchart for describing processing of the copying machine1002 according to the third embodiment. The processing illustrated bythe flowchart is realized by the CPU 2001 of the copying machine 1002executing a program loaded into the RAM 2002 from the HDD 2004 of thecopying machine 1002.

Firstly, in step S710, the CPU 2001 executes printing of the print jobassociated with the job name of the selected bibliographic information,when the CPU 2001 detects that the print initiation button 813 (FIG. 8)is pressed via the operation unit I/F 2006. Then, the processingproceeds to step S711, the CPU 2001 generates history of the print jobincluding the authenticated user name, and the job owner name of theprint job, and the processing completes.

FIG. 9A is a view for illustrating an example of print job historyaccording to the third embodiment.

This shows the history of print jobs and is for when the print job withthe job name “Printjob3”, and the print job with the job name“Printjob6” were executed from the print job list screen shown in FIG.8. Here, in all of the histories, the user name is “USER2”, which is theuser name of the user that authenticated on the copying machine 1002.

FIG. 9B is a view for illustrating an example a print job historyscreen.

The print job history screen is something that the CPU 2001 generatesbased on the history of the print jobs obtained in step S711, and thatis displayed on the display unit of the operation unit 2012 via theoperation unit I/F 2006. Here, as illustrated in FIG. 9A, the user name,the job name, the job owner name, and the date/time of the print jobhistory are displayed.

Reference numeral 901 denotes the currently displayed page number andthe total number of pages. Here the first page out of a total of onepage is displayed. Reference numeral 902 denotes a button for displayingthe preceding page and reference numeral 903 denotes a button fordisplaying the next page. A detailed information button 904 is used forwhen the user wishes to display a screen of detailed information (notshown) of the selected print job history output page number.

Here, the examples of the user name, the job name, the job owner name,and the date/time are given as the print job history, but the print jobhistory is not limited to this. For example, information that showswhether or not an output result of the print job was normal, or thelike, may be included as the print job history.

Also, the user name may also be displayed on the detailed informationscreen displayed when the detailed information button 904 is pushed.Also, by executing billing processing in association with the user name,billing for the user that actually executed the print becomes possible.

As explained above, by the third embodiment, history that print jobswere executed can be generated, in association with the users thatexecuted the print jobs, and displayed.

Fourth Embodiment

For the previously described first embodiment, explanation was givenwith the presupposition that PDL print jobs are input, from the PC 1005or another client computer (not shown) connected to the LAN 1006, andstored in the copying machine 1001 or the copying machine 1002. Incontrast to this, in a fourth embodiment, explanation will be given foran embodiment in which, when a print job input from another clientcomputer is saved (stored), the existence or absence of a stored printjob having a user name that cannot be identified is determined.

In the fourth embodiment, explanation will be given for an example inwhich a PDL print job from the client computer 1005 is input into thecopying machine 1001. Note, because the configurations of the copyingmachines 1001 and 1002 and the configuration of the printing systemaccording to the fourth embodiment are the same as in the previouslydescribed first embodiment, their explanation will be omitted.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for describing print processing by the copyingmachine 1001 according to the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention. The processing illustrated by the flowchart is realized bythe CPU 2001 executing a program loaded into the RAM 2002 from the HDD2004.

Firstly, in step S1001, the CPU 2001, when it receives a print job fromthe client computer 1005 via the LAN 1006, proceeds to the processing ofstep S1002. Note, the communication protocol for receiving the print jobmay be an independently developed one, or may be a general one, and itis not stipulated specifically here. In step S1002, the CPU 2001analyzes the received print job and the processing proceeds to stepS1003. Normally, the print job includes a job control command such as aprint setting, and a PDL (page description language) command whichdescribes the content of the print job. The job control command may beof PJL by Hewlett-Packard, CPCA (Common Peripheral ControllingArchitecture), by Canon, or the like, for example. Also the PDL commandmay be of Postscript by Adobe or LIPS (LBP Image Processing System) byCanon, or the like. Any of the above may be used, and no particularlimitation is made. Also, configuration may be taken such that a jobcontrol command is not added, and in such a case the print processing isexecuted by analyzing only the PDL command.

In step S1003, and the CPU 2001 determines whether or not a printsetting for forcibly storing the print job on the copying machine 1001is valid, out of the print settings of the copying machine 1001 storedin the RAM 2002, or the like. When it is determined that the printsetting is valid, the processing proceeds to step S1004, and in a casewhere it is determined that this is not the case, the processingproceeds to step S1007, and setting is made so that the print job is notstored. In step S1004, the CPU 2001 determines whether or not a printsetting for storing only the print jobs generated by the printer driveris valid, out of the print settings of the copying machine 1001 storedin the RAM 2002, or the like. When it is determined that this kind ofprint setting is valid, the processing proceeds to step S1005, and in acase where it is determined that this is not the case, the processingproceeds to step S1006.

Note, the above described print setting is set by the CPU 2001displaying a screen as shown in FIG. 11 on the operation unit 2012 viathe operation unit I/F 2006, and receiving, via the operation unit I/F2006, the information that the user input on that screen. Informationset in this way is reflected by the CPU 2001 storing it in the RAM 2002as a print setting.

FIG. 11 is a view for showing an example of the print setting screenaccording to the fourth embodiment.

An item 1102 sets so as to store print jobs forcibly. By checking acheck-box 1103, the setting becomes valid, and by removing the check ofthe check-box 1103, the setting becomes invalid. An item 1104 sets thatonly print jobs generated by a printer driver be stored. By checking acheck-box 1105, the setting becomes valid, and by removing the check ofthe check-box 1105, the setting becomes invalid. The print settingscreen of FIG. 11 shows an example in which both of the settings arevalid.

In step S1005, the CPU 2001 determines whether or not the print job isgenerated by the printer driver. In step S1005, in a case where the CPU2001 determines that the print job is generated by the printer driver,the processing proceeds to step S1006, and the CPU 2001 controls so thatthe print job is stored, and when that is not the case the processingproceeds to step S1007. When the printer driver generates a print job,the printer driver always adds to the job control command a particularcommand that indicates that the printer driver generated the print job.Because of this, the CPU 2001, by determining whether or not theparticular command is added to the job control command, can determinewhether or not the print job is generated by the printer driver. Note,here, explanation was given for an example in which a particular commandis added to the job control command, but the particular command may beadded to the PDL command, or may be both the job control command and thePDL command.

In step S1006, the CPU 2001 stores the received print job in a storageapparatus such as the RAM 2002 or the HDD 2004, and the processingcompletes. Regarding print jobs stored in the storage apparatus in thisway, the print job can be printed or can be deleted in accordance withan instruction by the user, as long as the user performs authenticationon the copying machine 1001, and the authentication of the usersucceeds.

On the other hand, in step S1007, the CPU 2001 cancels the printprocessing by the print job without storing the received print job tothe storage apparatus. Specifically, the CPU 2001 discards the receivedprint data, and as well as writing an error log to the HDD 2004, printsan error report on the printer 2095. The error report includes suchthings as an error code indicating a type of the error, a received datetime, and bibliographic information. Also, configuration may be taken soas to also print a message such as “cannot print or save because theuser is unknown”, for example.

As explained above, by the fourth embodiment, it is possible toconfigure so that in cases where setting is performed so as to store thereceived print job in the apparatus when the print job is received, onlyprint jobs generated by the printer driver are stored in accordance withthe setting.

Fifth Embodiment

In the above described fourth embodiment, explanation was given for anexample in which, in a case where it is determined that data of thereceived print job (print data) is not generated by the printer driver,print processing is cancelled without storing the print data. Incontrast to this, in the fifth embodiment, explanation will be given foran example in which it is settable whether or not the print data iscancelled in cases where the job owner name (document inputter) includedin the received print data is not analyzable. Note, because theconfigurations of the copying machines 1001 and 1002 and theconfiguration of the printing system according to the fifth embodimentare the same as in the previously described first embodiment, theirexplanation will be omitted.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for describing processing in a case where thecopying machine 1001 received print data according to the fifthembodiment. The processing illustrated by the flowchart is realized bythe CPU 2001 executing a program loaded into the RAM 2002 from the HDD2004. Note, the processing illustrated by the flowchart is initiatedupon the receipt of print data transmitted from the PC 1005.

Firstly, in step S1201, when the CPU 2001 receives the print data fromthe PC 1005 via the network I/F 2010, the processing proceeds to stepS1202, and the CPU 2001 extracts a document name, the job owner name,print settings, and the like, which are added to the received printdata. Note, the information extracted in step S1202 may be other thanthis; for example it may include identifier information of anapplication that transmitted the print data, or a type of the PDLlanguage. Also, it may include the identifier information that theprinter driver of the PC 1005 added, or the like.

Next, the processing proceeds to step S1203, and the CPU 2001 determineswhether or not the setting stored in the RAM 2002 is a setting forforcibly saving the print data. Note, whether or not this is forciblysaved is determined in accordance with the setting value set in thescreen of FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a view for showing an example of a setting screen accordingto the fifth embodiment.

A check box 1302 is for setting whether or not to save received printdata forcibly, and when this is checked, it is set so that the receivedprint data is saved forcibly. Also, buttons 1303-1306 are buttons forsetting a processing method for a print job of an indefinite user. Thebutton 1303 sets so that the print job is cancelled. The button 1304sets so that the print job is not cancelled. The button 1305 sets sothat the print job is saved. The button 1306 sets so that the print jobis printed. In the example of FIG. 13, it is set so that the receivedprint data is forcibly saved, and set so that a print job of anindefinite user is saved without cancelling. Note, these setting valuesare set beforehand by an administrator, stored in the HDD 2004, and readout into the RAM 2002 when the copying machine 1001 activates. The CPU2001 determines in accordance with the setting value read out into theRAM 2002.

In step S1203, in a case where the CPU 2001 determines that the printdata is not saved forcibly, the processing proceeds to step S1209, theCPU 2001 controls the printer 2095, generates the image data based onthe received print data, prints an image on a sheet, and the processingcompletes.

On the other hand, in step S1203, the CPU 2001, in a case where it isdetermined that the print data is saved forcibly, the processingproceeds to step S1204. In step S1204, the CPU 2001 analyzes theinformation added to the print data extracted in step S1202, anddetermines whether or not identification of the job owner name of thereceived print data is possible. Specifically, in a case where useridentifier information for identifying the user is not included in theinformation extracted in step S1202, it is determined in step S1204 thatthe answer is YES because the owner name of the print job is unknown,and the processing proceeds to step S1205. Note, the determination ofstep S1204 may be executed by a method other than determining based onthe existence or absence of user identifier information. For example,YES may be determined in step S1204 in cases where user identifierinformation is included, and the user identifier information is notanalyzable, and where there is a user who does not have an authorizationto log in to the copying machine 1001.

In step S1205, the CPU 2001 determines whether or not to cancel theprinting of print data for which the owner name is unknown. Note, here,the setting of whether or not to cancel the printing is determined inaccordance with the setting of the button 1303 of the screen of FIG. 13.This setting value is set beforehand by the administrator, is stored inthe HDD 2004, and is read out into the RAM 2002 when the copying machine1001 activates. The CPU 2001 determines to cancel the printing of printdata for which the job owner name is unknown in cases where a settingvalue of button 1303 read out into the RAM 2002 is valid. In step S1205,in a case where the CPU 2001 determines to cancel the print job, theprocessing proceeds to step S1210, and a CPU 2001 discards the receivedthe print data, and as well as writing an error log to the HDD 2004,prints an error report with the printer 2095. The error report includessuch things as an error code indicating a type of the error, a receiveddate time, and bibliographic information (the document name, etc.).Also, configuration may be taken such that other than these, a messagesuch as “cannot print or save because the user is unknown”, for example,may be included.

On the other hand, in step S1205, in a case where the CPU 2001determines not to cancel the printing of the print data for which thejob owner name is unknown, the processing proceeds to step S1206, andthe CPU 2001 determines whether to print or whether to save the printdata. Note, the settings for whether to print and whether to save printdata for which the job owner name of the user is unknown are determinedin accordance with settings for the buttons 1304-1306 in FIG. 13. Incases where, in step S1206, the CPU 2001 determines that it is set so asto print without cancelling a print job for which the user isindefinite, the processing proceeds to step S1209, and the CPU 2001prints the image based on the received print data by controlling theprinter 2095. On the other hand, in cases where, in step S1206, the CPU2001 determines that it is set so as to save, the processing proceeds tostep S1207.

Meanwhile, in a case where it is determined that the job owner name isidentifiable in step S1204, the processing proceeds to step S1207. Instep S1207, the CPU 2001 saves the print data received in step S1201into the HDD 2004. Then, the processing proceeds to step S1208, and theCPU 2001 saves the bibliographic information extracted in step S1202into the HDD 2004, and the processing completes.

As explained above, by virtue of the fifth embodiment, it is possible todesignate whether to cancel the print job or whether to print or save inaccordance with the print job in cases where the job owner name(document inputter) included in the received print data is notanalyzable.

Other Embodiments

Embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a computerof a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executableinstructions recorded on a storage medium (e.g., non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium) to perform the functions of one ormore of the above-described embodiment(s) of the present invention, andby a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing the computer executable instructionsfrom the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more ofa central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU), or othercircuitry, and may include a network of separate computers or separatecomputer processors. The computer executable instructions may beprovided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storagemedium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of ahard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), astorage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™),a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of controlling an image formingapparatus, comprising: receiving a print job from an informationprocessing apparatus; storing the received print job in a memory of theimage forming apparatus; authenticating a user; displaying a list ofprint jobs associated with the authenticated user; executing one or moreprint jobs selected from the displayed list in accordance with aninstruction for executing the one or more print jobs; holding a settingindicating whether to cancel a print job for which a job owner name hasnot been set; and in a case where a setting indicating to cancel a printjob [or which a job owner name has not been set is held, canceling areceived print job for which a job owner name has not been set without auser instruction for canceling the received print job.
 2. An imageforming apparatus, comprising: a memory storing instructions; and aprocessor which executes the instructions to: receive a print job froman information processing apparatus; store the received print job in thememory; authenticate a user; display a list of print jobs associatedwith the authenticated user; execute one or more print jobs selectedfrom the displayed list in accordance with an instruction for executingthe one or more print jobs; hold a setting indicating whether to cancela print job for which a job owner name has not been set; and in a casewhere a setting indicating to cancel a print job for which a job ownername has not been set is held, cancel a received print job for which ajob owner name has not been set without a user instruction forcancelling the received print job.
 3. The image forming apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the instructions further cause the imageforming apparatus to: hold, as a setting indicating not to cancel aprint job for which a job owner name has not been set, either a firstsetting for storing in the memory the print job until an instruction forexecuting the print job is received from a user or a second setting forexecuting the print job without waiting for the instruction for printingfrom the user; and execute, in accordance with the held setting, aprocess for the print job for which a job owner name has not been set.4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein theinstructions further cause the image forming apparatus to, for storedprint jobs, display a first print job list, which is a list of printjobs for which a job owner name corresponding to a logged-in user whohas logged into the image forming apparatus is set, and a second printjob list which is a list of print jobs for which the job owner name hasnot been set.
 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,wherein, in a case where either a first setting for storing in thememory a print job for which a job owner name has not been set until aninstruction for executing the print job is received from a user or asecond setting for executing a print job for which a job owner name hasnot been set without waiting for the instruction for printing from theuser is held as a setting indicating not to cancel a print job for whicha job owner name has not been set, execute a process for a receivedprint job for which a job owner name has not been set, in accordancewith the held setting.
 6. A non-transitory storage medium on which isstored a computer program for making a computer execute a control methodin an image forming apparatus, the control method comprising: receivinga print job from an information processing apparatus; storing thereceived print job in a memory of the image forming apparatus;authenticating a user; displaying a list of print jobs associated withthe authenticated user; executing one or more print jobs selected fromthe displayed list in accordance with an instruction for executing theone or more print jobs; holding a setting indicating whether to cancel aprint job for which a job owner name has not been set; and in a casewhere a setting indicating to cancel a print job for which a job ownername has not been set is held, canceling a received print job for whicha job owner name has not been set without a user instruction forcancelling the received print job.
 7. The image forming apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the user is authenticated by using useridentification information and a password which are inputted by theuser.
 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein theuser is authenticated by using user identification information which isobtained via a card reader of the image forming apparatus.
 9. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a name of each of theprint jobs is displayed in the list of the print jobs associated withthe authenticated user.